Renthia Kaimbi
The Farm Nuwehoop project in the Omaheke Region was officially revitalised on Friday through a substantial N$3 million investment by the Swakop Uranium Foundation to bolster agricultural development and combat food insecurity.
The handover ceremony, which took place at the farm, marked a new chapter for the previously struggling initiative, now transformed into a productive agricultural hub designed to serve the region’s most vulnerable populations.
The investment, facilitated in partnership with the Office of the Governor of the Omaheke Region and the Farm Nuwehoop Trust, has facilitated a comprehensive overhaul of the farm’s infrastructure.
Key upgrades include the rehabilitation of boreholes, the installation of four substantial water tanks, and the construction of modern livestock and agricultural facilities such as a state-of-the-art chicken coop, a rabbit hutch, a goat kraal, and greenhouses.
The project has also been restocked with a donation of rabbits and 104 goats, a move that is expected to significantly boost local protein production.
The main objective of the revitalised farm is to ensure a steady supply of nutritious food to old-age homes, clinics, and early childhood development centres across the Omaheke Region.
Beyond addressing immediate nutritional needs, the project is designed with a commercial element; surplus produce will be sold, creating a self-sustaining economic model that generates income while supporting community welfare.
This holistic approach was a key theme during the official launch, where Omaheke Regional Governor, Pijoo Nganate, described the initiative as a turning point for the region.
“We are rebuilding Farm Nuwehoop,” Nganate stated, but he was quick to emphasise that the true measure of success would extend far beyond the new infrastructure and livestock.
He outlined a vision where success is quantified by the number of children receiving nutritious meals, the number of soup kitchens supported, the number of jobs created, and the number of households that improve their incomes through participation in agricultural value chains.
Nganate expressed gratitude to the Swakop Uranium Foundation for recognising the project’s potential and investing in its future despite previous challenges.
The long-term vision of the project was further articulated by Liu Haijun, representing senior leadership from China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN), Swakop Uranium’s parent company.
He highlighted that the Hope Farm Project is built on the principles of sustainability, self-reliance, and long-term impact.
“By focusing on rural development, livelihood improvement and income generation, the project combines livestock support, technical training and revolving assistance mechanisms to help communities build their own capacity for development,” Haijun explained.
This sentiment was echoed by Petrus Sikongo Sindimba, Executive Director and a member of Cabinet secretariat, who spoke on behalf of Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare.
Sindimba commended the project for its alignment with Namibia’s national development priorities, characterising it as the kind of sustainable, inclusive, and people-centred development the nation seeks to promote.
In his address, Sindimba also touched on the broader governmental ambition to expand large-scale crop cultivation from approximately 11 200 hectares to 130 000 hectares by 2030, highlighting a clear commitment to boosting agricultural production, reducing dependence on food imports, and strengthening national economic resilience.
He commended the Swakop Uranium Foundation and its shareholders for demonstrating meaningful corporate responsibility that delivers lasting value to Namibia, noting that well-nourished children learn better and food-secure communities are more productive.
In addition to the farm upgrades, the Foundation has also completed renovations at the Epako Old Age Home and the Light of the Children Kindergarten in Gobabis, which have been repainted, fumigated, and received essential equipment and furnishings.
The Omaheke region is now the second region in Namibia to benefit from the Hope Farm pillar of the Swakop Uranium Foundation’s development programme after the Erongo region, which aims to positively impact all 14 regions of the country over the next decade.
This intervention is part of a broader 10-year commitment by the Foundation, which includes flagship initiatives such as the Computer Lab Project and the Peace Swakopmund Solar Light Project, all aimed at promoting education, food security, and sustainable growth.
The Husab Mine, operated by Swakop Uranium, remains a cornerstone of this investment, being the second largest uranium mine in the world with a potential life of more than 20 years and a total investment of USD 5 Billion.
